The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is seeking proposals for agricultural research with the potential to increase the sustainable productivity of smallholder farmers in developing countries.Through its Program for Emerging Agricultural Research Leaders, the foundation will award grants of up to $500,000 for projects led by M.Sc. and Ph.D. scientists at national agricultural research institutions and universities in sub-Saharan Africa, working in collaboration with other researchers internationally (either within Africa or beyond). The program is restricted to proposals relevant to staple crops grown in Africa.

To be eligible, applicants must be an African scientist residing in a sub-Saharan country or planning to relocate to sub-Saharan Africa to implement the proposed project (e.g. returning from diaspora); be able to identify a local host institution (a national agricultural research institute or university); have at least an M.Sc. degree; and be able to devote at least 70 percent of their time to leadership of the proposed project.

Full proposals will be due in November, and technical writing support workshops will be offered to finalists invited to submit full proposals. Final awards are expected to be made in mid-2015 on-wards.